Lake Shore 12U Girls Rally For Title-Clinching Win

The Lake Shore 12U girls basketball team was in a good position to win the county league with a 9-0 record going into its final game.

Naturally, their last match was against second-place Generals Highway, which came into the game at 8-1 and could have forced a three-way tie for the title with a season-ending victory.

Fortunately for Lake Shore, the 12U girls battled back from a 24-16 deficit with five minutes to play to win 26-24 on a last-second basket by Rori Campbell and claim the league championship.

The team of Rori Campbell, Lyla Clayville, Julia Fox, Fiona Panzer, Jayla Booher, Kristen DeCarli and Corinne Trakas finished 10-0 on the season.

Trakas and Booher pressed hard in the closing minutes of the final game, both making critical steals. Clayville made a game-tying basket with a minute remaining that set up Campbell’s game-winner and allowed Lake Shore to finish the game on a 10-0 run.

Coached by Sam Campbell and Glenn Clayville, the team won the county’s Volunteer Division and held the opposition to 106 total points in 10 wins. Against three top teams in the league — Green Hornets, South County and Cape — Lake Shore won by a combined seven points, with all the victories being secured in the final minute.

Trakas led the team in offense, while Fox led the defense with her shot-blocking ability. DeCarli and Panzer also contributed mightily to Lake Shore’s defensive efforts this year. Lyla Clayville is now a three-time county champion in A, B and C leagues with Lake Shore teams.

Coach Clayville said the determination of Lake Shore powered their comeback win and ultimately their championship.

“Our girls said before the game they did not want to share the title,” said coach Clayville. “They never gave up.”